No products in the cart.
Every autumn, just as the watch industry begins to look back on the year, it is time for the GPHG. The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, often – and with good reason – described as the “Oscars of Watchmaking”, has announced the official nominees for its 26th edition. The numbers alone give an idea of the scale of this year’s competition: 320 timepieces from 194 brands were entered for consideration. Following the first round of voting by the GPHG Academy, just 84 creations made it through to the final selection.
The nominees are divided into 14 different categories and will compete for a total of 19 awards, culminating, of course, in the prestigious Aiguille d’Or Grand Prix, the most important prize of the evening. Last year, 90 creations made it through to the final selection of the GPHG 2025,competing for the year’s most prestigious watchmaking awards.
The GPHG selection process is particularly interesting, as the final outcome does not rest solely in the hands of a small jury. The GPHG Academy held its first round of voting during the summer, resulting in the selection of the 84 nominees. A few days before the awards ceremony, the 2026 Jury, chaired by Wei Koh, will meet behind closed doors in Geneva to examine the nominated creations in person.
At the same time, Academy members will cast their votes digitally for the winners. Their vote accounts for one third of the final result, ensuring broader representation from across the contemporary watchmaking world in the selection process.
Of the 84 nominated creations, 78 are wristwatches, while the remaining six are mechanical clocks. This means that this year’s selection spans an impressively broad spectrum of contemporary watchmaking, from classic and ladies’ watches to sophisticated complications, Haute Horlogerie creations and pieces where technical expertise meets the métiers d’art. In many ways, the awards provide an annual snapshot of the global watch industry, reflecting the technical, aesthetic and creative trends that have defined the year. Many of the year’s most important creations had made their debut in the spring at Watches & Wonders Geneva 2026.
Before arriving in Geneva for the final judging, the nominated timepieces will travel to several cities around the world as part of the GPHG’s traditional roadshow. The first stop will be Mumbai, from September 28 to October 1, marking the GPHG’s first appearance in India’s financial capital. The 78 nominated wristwatches will then travel to Bangkok from October 15 to 18, before returning to Switzerland.
From October 29 to November 15, all 84 nominated creations – 78 wristwatches and six mechanical clocks – will be presented in Geneva at the Musée d’Art et d’Histoire. Following the announcement of the winners, the roadshow will conclude in London from November 18 to 23, where the award-winning timepieces from the 2026 edition will go on display.
Founded in 2001, the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève has, over more than 25 years, evolved into one of the most important international institutions dedicated to celebrating and promoting the art of watchmaking. The winners of the GPHG 2026 will be announced on Saturday, November 7, during the official awards ceremony at Geneva’s Bâtiment des Forces Motrices, which will also be livestreamed via the GPHG’s official website. That evening, we will discover which of the 84 nominees will take home the 19 awards and, above all, which watch will receive the night’s ultimate accolade, the Aiguille d’Or Grand Prix, earning its place among the most important creations in contemporary watchmaking. Last year, the Breguet Classique Souscription 2025 took home the top prize, a seemingly simple single-hand watch inspired by a historic timepiece created by Abraham-Louis Breguet.
